Prizes

FOR ESSAYS PRINTED IN THIS NUMBER.

A five shilling book each to THOMAS T. BRADBURY, Staveley Works School, near Chesterfield; and ROBERT INNES, Albion Day School, Ashton-under-Lyne.

A three shilling and sixpenny book each to KATE BROWN, Lytchett Minster National School; and E. STORR, Wesleyan Day School, Harby, Lincoln.

The above-named Prize Essayists are desired to send to the publisher, Mr. JOHN HEYWOOD, 141 and 143, Deansgate, Manchester, the name of any book or books, of the value referred to, which they would like to receive, and such will be forwarded post free within one week afterwards. The Publisher, of course, reserves to himself the right of refusing to forward any work the character of which he may think injurious, but with that single exception Prize Essayists may select any work they please. They will doubtless avail themselves of the advice of their parents or teachers in their selection.

A catalogue of three thousand works will be sent by the publisher on receipt of a penny postage stamp for postage.

Answers to Questions in the April Number.

THE answers to the questions on the Black Prince shew a considerable improvement upon those received to the questions in the past month. We rather suspect that this is owing to the Black Prince being a particular favourite with English boys.

Papers containing an answer to one of these questions should not be sent to us loose; they should be fastened at the edges, or written upon only one sheet. Three papers on the Black Prince have been written on loose sheets, and those containing the name and address of the writer are lost. One paper is completed, and written well, but the writer has not added his name to it. It should be borne in mind that each set of papers is examined by itself, and that therefore each answer should be placed on a separate sheet of paper.

The specimens of writing we have received, contain many sheets very well and carefully written. The two papers which have gained the prizes, however, are far superior to all the others. We are also convinced that they have really been written by the boys whose names are appended to them. It would be a sad exchange for any boy or girl to gain a book and lose his or her character. We are convinced that the vast majority of our readers would not tell a lie for any prize, however brilliant; and if any one of them did really obtain the prize by dishonest means,

his fellow scholars would pity him, not envy him. As a wise man in America says: "The thief steals from himself." What the worth of a boy or girl's character for honesty is none can tell it is not to be estimated by pounds, shillings, and pence. And yet, let that boy or girl steal a shilling, and that character is lost-gone as suddenly and noiselessly as the grand palace of Aladdin when the wicked magician had obtained the lamp.

One thing we may suggest to the writers of these papers for their future guidance, and that is, the breaking up of their compositions into distinct paragraphs. For instance, what we are at present writing is the fourth paragraph of this piece. The story of a man's life naturally divides itself into distinct periods, as his early years, his manhood, his death. Some essayists have attended to this suggestion; others send us an unbroken mass of very neat writing and good composition, which would be improved by this division into paragraphs.

EDWARD THE BLACK PRINCE.

EDWARD PLANTAGENET, called the "Black Prince" from the colour of his armour, was the eldest son of Edward III. and his queen Philippa. He was born at Woodstock in 1330. In 1346, i.e: when he was sixteen years of age, he went over to France with his father, and was knighted at La Hogue. A short time after this he greatly distinguished himself against the French on the field of Crecy. In this battle the English were greatly outnumbered, and the Black Prince was also in such great danger that a gentleman left the battlefield, and spurred quickly up to an old mill from which the king was watching the progress of the fight, with an eager request for help. In answer to this request, the king replied, "Is my son killed, wounded, or thrown to the ground?" "No, sire," replied the knight, "but he is hard beset." "Then return to those who sent you, and tell them not to send you again to me to-day, or expect that I shall come as long as my son has life; and say, that I command them to let the boy win his spurs."

The king kept his word; for during all that day he sat watching the fate of his dear son. When Edward was governor of Guienne (a part of France which then belonged to England) he defeated and took prisoner John, king of France, at the battle of Poictiers, in 1356. Here again the English were outnumbered, for the battle of Poictiers was gained by ten thousand English over sixty thousand French.

This battle was won by the English archers-soldiers who fought with the bow and arrow. In the spring of 1357, Edward brought his royal captive over to London, where he was generously treated and lodged in the palace of the Savoy, where he died, in 1364.

In 1361, the Black Prince married Joan, daughter of his great uncle, the Earl of Kent. He had a son, Richard, who afterwards became king.

The Black Prince was subsequently created "Prince of Aquitaine,” and governed his province with great ability till he undertook to restore Don Pedro the Cruel to the throne of Castile, in Spain, from which he had been driven by the Count of Trastamere, his halfbrother. Edward took 30,000 men to engage in this war, and he defeated Trastamere at the battle of Navarette, in 1367.

When Pedro was firmly seated on his throne, he refused to pay Edward's expenses in the war, and the Prince returned to Bordeaux with an empty treasury. His only method of raising money was to lay a hearth-tax upon his French dominions, a proceeding which raised a great cry of discontent among his subjects. The Black Prince caught a sickness in Spain, which resulted in his death in 1376.

His father followed him to the grave in the next year, and was succeeded by the Black Prince's son Richard.

THOMAS T. BRADBURY, Standard VI.

EDWARD, the third Prince of Wales, commonly known as the Black Prince, from the colour of his armour, was the eldest son of Edward III. by Philippa of Hainault. He was born at Woodstock in the year 1330, and married Joan of Kent (a lady celebrated for her beauty and accomplishments), by whom he had one son, afterwards Richard II. When about sixteen years of age, he commanded a portion of the English army at the battle of Crecy, where he displayed such skill and bravery that the French were completely defeated. Among the slain was found the body of the old blind king of Bohemia, whose crest-three ostrich feathers, with the motto, "Ich Dien "-was given to the Prince as a memorial of his victory. Ten years later the Prince gained another great victory at Poictiers. Here, with about 12,000 men against 60,000, he completely routed the French army, and took their king prisoner. He took king John to England, where he made a triumphal entry into London. The French king rode a noble white charger decked with splendid trappings, while the Prince of Wales accompanied him on a small black pony. In the year 1362, Edward was styied Prince of Aquitaine, and invested with the English dominion in France. He took up his residence at Bordeaux, where his son was born. Some time after this he undertook a war in Spain, in support of Pedro the Cruel, who had been driven from his throne; but this expedition proved disastrous, for although he succeeded in replacing Pedro on the throne, he suffered greatly in health, and was obliged to return to England, where he soon afterwards died. He was buried with great pomp at Canterbury, in June, 1376, being then only forty-six years of age. His loss was very much felt by the English people, who were very fond of their brave prince, and would have liked him for their king had he lived.

KATE BROWN.

By JAMES HOGG, the "Ettrick Shepherd," born 1772, died 21st Nov., 1835.